Key case



F. G. BOWEN.

KEY CASE.

Lm, Patented Jan. 31,1922.

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FRANK G. BOWEN, 10F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

KEY CASE.

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To all whom t may concern:

Be it known] that I, FRANK G. BOWEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Kansas City, county of Jackson, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Key Cases,

of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention relates to key cases of'that class in which retaining means are provided in combination with a case in such a manner that the keys will always occupy a flat position.

Key cases of this character have heretofore proven objectionable in that when a key was inserted in a lock the case had. to be rotated injorder to follow the turning movement of a key within a lock, as the key was so secured that it had movement only in a single plane with respectf to the case and my object is to produce a swivel joint connection of such a character that the key may be inserted in a lock and rotated without the necessity of rotating the key case as a whole, and which will also have lateral movement in order that the key may be more easily accommodated to the position of the lock.

Another object is to produce a device of this character of simple, strong, durable, efhcient and inexpensive construction; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a key case embodying the invention in open position.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same in closed position.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 'Illlll of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is an enlarged broken view of the device in open position and illustrates in dotted lines the swivel movement of the key retaining members and by means of arrows the lateral play which such members possess.

Figure 5, is a plan view of the plate of the invention.

ln.` the said drawing, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 is a key case of leather or any other suitable material, the ends of which are adapted to overlap each other and to be secured in such position by means of retaining buttons or snaps 2.

Adapted to be secured to the key case near supporting Specification of Letters Patent. Paytntd Jam,- 31, 11922,

Application filed April 18, 1921.

Serial No. 462,253.

one of its edges, through which rivets 5 are adapted to pass in order to secure the plate rigidly in position on the key case as illustrated.

Near the opposite edge of the supporting plate, from the holes 4, is a series of tapered slots or openings 6, ,the wider ends of said openings being adjacent the rivet holes 4 (see Figure 5). The plate is adapted to be rolled back along the line of said openings 6 in order to form a cylindrical retaining portion 7. Prior to this rolling operation a series of key retaining members 8 are passed through openings 6, and the attached ends of said key retaining members areprovided with balls 9 of greater diameter than the widest portions of the slots 6, and are adapted to be held within the cylinder 7 by the engagement of said balls 9 with the interior of the cylinder, as illustrated.

By this construction the balls 9 form a swivel connection, the key retaining members 8 being free for pivotal and rotative movements within the slots 6, and as the wider portion of the slot is near the edge of the carrying case, said members will alsor possess a certain amount of lateral play, when in operative position, as illustrated in Figure 4.

It is believed the operation of the device will be clearly understood, and it will be readily seen that the construction above describedwill allow rotation of the keys, and will at the same time allow certain lateral play, in order that the key may be accom? modated to the position of the lock and rotated therein without the necessity of imparting such movement of the key case as a whole.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced a key case which possesses all of the features of advantage pointed out as desirable, and while l have described and claimed vrthe preferredne rovided with a' pivotal connection to said p ate permitting swinging movement of .the member into and out of the case and also allowmg rotative movement of said member when outside the case to permit turning of a key independently of said key case, and means for securing the key case in folded position over said member.

2. In a device of the character described,

l the combination with a key case of liexible material, a rigid supporting member of hollow cylindrical form secured to said case,

the combination with a key case of flexible" material, of a rigid supporting plate having a hollow cylindrical portion adjacent one margin of said key case, and a rigid key retaining member having a ball terminal pivotally mounted in said cylindrical portion and adapted to allow rotative movement of said member when outside the case to permit turning of a key independently of said case, said cylindrical portion having a slot accommodating the shank of said retaining member as the latter swings into and out of the case, said slot being'of inwardly taperedrform for permitting lateral play of said retaining. member when outside the case but preventing such lateral play when inside the case.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a key case, of a supporting member of hollow cylindrical form secured thereto and formed with a plurality of slots, a plurality of key retaining members secured Within said member and projecting through the slots thereof and free for pivotal, rotative and lateral movements with respect thereto, and means for Securin the key case in folded position over sai members.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a key case, of a hollow cylindrical support secured thereto and formed with a slot, a ball within said slot, and a key retaining member secured to said ball and projecting through said slot and free, when in operative position, for pivotal, rotative and lateral movements Awith respect to said support, and means for securing said case in folded position over Said key retaining member.

n witness whereof l hereunto aflix my signature.

FRANK Gr. BOWEN. 

